May 10th, 3030
Darkness enveloped Itus, a familiar voice calling his name from the void. It echoed, growing louder with each repetition until his eyes snapped open, the world rushing back into focus, the echoes of laughter still ringing in his ears. Lucas loomed over him; concern etched across his face.
"Itus! You need to get up!" Lucas's voice cut through the fog of sleep.
Itus blinked, his mind still caught between the fading tendrils of his dream and the harsh reality of morning. "Lucas? What time is it?" he mumbled, struggling to sit up.
"It's time to get up. You have 10 minutes to get ready," Lucas urged, his words tinged with impatience. "We can't be late for the ceremony. It won't be a good look to the house leaders, and I'm not ruining my amazing record because of you."
With a groan, Itus swung his legs over the edge of the lower bunk. "Yeah, yeah. I'm going." The dream clung to him, fragments of memory that felt both alien and achingly familiar. As he dressed, Lucas perched on the edge of his bed, watching him with a mixture of worry and exasperation.
"It was so hard to wake you up," Lucas said, shaking his head. "I had to say your name like 20 times. I thought I was going to have to leave you here."
Itus paused, his shirt half-buttoned. "Sorry. I was having an intense dream."
"About what?"
The images were already fading, slipping away like sand through his fingers. "Nothing important," Itus replied, resuming his dressing. "It was just an old memory. To be honest, I don't even remember it happening."
As Itus finished getting ready, he found his mind drifting, the weight of the day ahead pressing down on him. The ceremony, the personal law, the path that would shape the rest of his life – it all seemed so monumental, so final.
"You ready?" Lucas's voice broke through his reverie, but Itus couldn't bring himself to respond. His friend's voice came again, more insistent this time. "Itus! Are you ready?"
"Yeah, sorry," Itus mumbled, shaking off his introspection.
Lucas's brow furrowed. "You sure you’re okay?"
For a moment, Itus considered unloading his fears, his doubts about the path ahead. But he pushed the impulse aside. "Yeah, I'm just nervous about today."
Nervous doesn't even begin to cover it, he thought.
"Same, but it will be fine," Lucas assured him.
Itus wasn't entirely convinced.
As they made their way through the training facility, joining their peers on the solemn march to the Sanctum of Wisdom, Itus felt a strange mix of anticipation and dread. The sacred grove, usually off-limits, now beckoned them forward, promising transformation.
The ceremony unfolded with ancient solemnity. Each aspirant stepped forward to declare their personal law—a cornerstone of their identity and future path—and was given a colored robe. Itus tried to focus as he watched his peers go up one by one, but everything seemed to pass in a blur of chants, blessings, and ancient rituals. When Itus's turn came, he stepped forward and approached the stone altar, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Itus Valerian, please step forward and state your personal law," the Chief Elder intoned.
Taking a deep breath, Itus spoke: "I, Itus Valerian, choose my personal law to be ‘Always defend the powerless.’ My parents named me after the God of protection, and I plan to uphold the vision of the future my parents want for me and honor my namesake. I swear to defend those who need help and put them above everything, including my own life and those of the people I love, to preserve this law."
Please let this be enough, he thought desperately. Let me finally make them proud.
The Chief Elder lowered his hands above Itus's head, touching his forehead. "We welcome you, Itus. May your path guide you to righteousness and honor those who came before you. We accept you into our community."
As the black robe draped over Itus's shoulders, he caught sight of Selene in the audience, cheering wildly. Her enthusiasm brought a smile to his face, even as he searched the crowd for a glimpse of his father—a search that would prove fruitless. Itus thought he would be among the other house leaders, but his face refused to appear in the crowd.
The ceremony concluded with the Chief Elder's final words: "Your personal law is one of the most important parts of your identity. It represents your values and sets a precedent for which noble houses will accept you. But it also signifies the mark of your domestication. Our people, for years, were feral and savage individuals. Ruled by our emotions and not by laws. Your personal law, along with the other laws, protects you from our history of most feral impulses. Respect your law and remember it can never be broken, for there are consequences. You, young Sogmains, join today in the ranks of our community. Please remember, you have one more week of training before you are assigned your noble house and start the rest of your life. Now enjoy the food made in your honor."
Everyone cleared out of the hall, heading to the banquet. Itus trailed behind Lucas, holding onto his purple robe, hoping that it would keep him grounded in reality.
The celebration afterward should have been joyous, but Itus found himself caught between moments of elation and nagging doubt. Lucas's enthusiasm was infectious, yet Itus couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing.
"Can you believe we are finally adults?!" Lucas exclaimed, hugging Itus tightly. "We are so close to the end!"
Itus forced a smile. "Yeah, but it's not over yet. We still have to get our houses." The thought of that final step, of truly leaving behind his childhood, sent a shiver of anxiety through him.
Lucas grabbed Itus's shoulders and began to shake him playfully. "True! But this is good! Don't be a downer! We are on the edge of greatness."
Itus sighed, trying to absorb some of Lucas's optimism. "You're right. Today is a good day."
Lucas laughed, and Itus joined in, though his own laughter felt forced. Suddenly, a loud voice cut through the crowd.
"Little Star!! Little Star!!"
Itus looked embarrassed as Lucas continued to laugh. "I think your sister is calling you," Lucas said, grinning.
Itus turned and saw his sister frantically waving her hand, his mother and brother behind her. He shyly waved back, silently wishing that the ground would swallow him up.
"I'll see you later, okay?" Itus said to Lucas, preparing to join his family.
"Yeah, of course. I'm going to find my own family," Lucas replied. As Itus turned away, Lucas called out, "And Itus..."
Itus turned back, curious.
Lucas mimicked a smile with his fingers across his mouth. "Remember to smile."
As Itus approached his family, Selene ran toward him, her excitement palpable. She crashed into him, enveloping him in a hug that nearly knocked him off balance.
"Oh, Itus!" Selene exclaimed, grabbing his face between her hands. "You were amazing! I'm so proud—"
Before she could finish, Elara interjected, "We are all so proud of you."
Itus turned toward Elara and hugged her, feeling a wave of warmth wash over him. "Thanks, Mom," he said softly.
No sooner had he separated from his mother than Helios engulfed him in another bear hug.
"So very proud, little brother," Helios said, pretending to cry. "I never thought I would see the day when you were all grown up."
Itus tried to shove Helios off, but his brother maintained a tight grip, laughing all the while. "Please! I beg you, let me go!" Itus pleaded, his voice muffled against Helios's chest.
"Helios, leave your brother alone," Elara admonished, though there was a hint of amusement in her voice.
Selene joined in, feigning tears. "But our baby isn't a baby anymore," she said dramatically, squeezing both Helios and Itus.
“Please! Please! Let go!” Itus all but screamed, fighting against his siblings.
"Fine. Fine," Selene and Helios said in unison, releasing Itus.
As Itus straightened his robe, he scanned the crowd, searching for a face he hadn't yet seen. "Where’s Dad?" he asked, unable to hide the disappointment in his voice.
Elara's expression softened. "He's around, but you know this is a busy time for him. He will come to see you, but in the meantime, let's enjoy ourselves, yeah?"
Itus nodded, pushing down the hurt that threatened to surface. Of course, he's not here, Itus thought bitterly. Why would today be any different? Selene, sensing his mood, wrapped her arm around him. "Come on, let's get some food," she said, guiding him towards the banquet tables.
As the celebration continued, he tried to enjoy the presence of his family, friends, and peers, but he couldn’t stop himself periodically searching the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of his father. Each time, the absence stung anew.
As the evening wound down, the guests began to depart, and Itus found himself alone with Selene. She grinned at him playfully. "And then there were two," she said, prompting a laugh from Itus.
"Before I leave, I just wanted to give you something," Selene continued, her tone growing more serious.
"You didn't have to get me anything," Itus protested.
Selene's smile widened. "Yeah, but you are my favorite, right?"
The words triggered a flash of his earlier dream, causing Itus to momentarily lose focus. He shook his head, bringing himself back to the present. "That's right," he agreed, his voice slightly strained.
Selene handed him a small box. Inside, Itus found a beautiful necklace with two gemstones forming a crescent moon and a star.
"This is beautiful," Itus breathed, awe evident in his voice. "Thank you."
Selene's usual confidence gave way to a hint of nervousness as she explained, "I know that I haven't been around as much since you started your training a few years ago, and I wanted to make sure that you know that I'm always there to support you." She pointed to the necklace. "It's a star and moon because my name means moon, obviously." She laughed a little. "And you are my little star, so..."
"It's amazing," Itus assured her. "I love it."
Little star, he thought, warmth spreading through his chest. Maybe I don't hate that nickname so much after all.
As Selene helped him put on the necklace, she added, "And I made it myself, so it's a labor of love."
Itus looked at her in surprise. "You made this? I didn't know you were so talented."
Selene laughed and gave him a playful shove. "Shut up! Loser!"
She wrapped Itus in another tight hug. "Don't forget about me, okay?" she whispered.
Itus couldn't help but tease her. "How can I when you just gave me this beautiful necklace?"
Selene released him and backed away, still facing him. "I love you, little star. Enjoy the end of training."
"Love you too," Itus replied, watching as she turned and walked away.
As Selene's figure faded into the distance, Itus fingered the necklace, a tangible reminder of the bonds that would endure beyond this day of transformation. The future stretched out before him, full of promise and uncertainty in equal measure. With a deep breath, Itus turned back towards his quarters, ready to face whatever challenges the coming days might bring.
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